TogetherApart
by Tobiiiaaas
Summary: Nikki and Harry grow closer over the investigation of a woman's murder.


**Silent Witness**

**Together/Apart**

Part One

Rain trickled down a moss-covered pipe. Drip, drip, drip. The water glistened in the moonlight, shining brightly. Footsteps echoed on the hard pavement. They grew louder. A woman appeared in the gloom of the alley, walking quickly. She appeared to be about forty, with auburn hair and sparkling green eyes. Her chest heaved as she rounded a corner and rested against the damp wall. A long scratch ran down the side of her face, stained with blood. Then she heard it. The sound of casual laughter. She froze. The laughter was coming closer. The woman tried to move but her legs had turned to jelly. The laughter was so close now. Her breathing became erratic. A shadow passed over her face and she knew it was too late to run.

A gnarled gloved hand grabbed her shoulder, its nails digging into her skin. As the pain shot through her, she could feel the blood dripping down her body, warm and wet. The stranger threw her to the ground roughly. She closed her eyes, blocking out everything except the subtle dripping of rainwater. The woman gasped as the stranger closed a tight hand around her throat. She wheezed for breath but the grip became tighter, squeezing the life out of her. She kicked out with her legs but to no avail; her breathing became weaker and weaker. She choked. The woman could feel her eyes popping, her face turning blue as the stranger continued to suffocate her. Her resistance slackened. Her strength faded away; she knew in a few seconds it would all be over. The stranger tightened their grip on her throat as hard as they could; she gave a trembling shudder and moved no more. The stranger laid the body down on the wet pavement, her eyes wide and popped out. Looking around cautiously, the stranger drew a knife from their jacket and carefully slit the dead woman's throat. With the deed done, they rolled the body onto its side and skulked away. The rain began to fall harder, splattering down on the body and washing the blood away. All was silent.

"Knock, knock."

"Who's there?" Nikki Alexander asked dryly without looking up from her work.

"Doctor."

"Doctor Who?" Nikki groaned. She swept her blonde hair out of her eyes and gazed up at the grinning face of Harry Cunningham. "Harry that was terrible!" She laughed warmly.

"I've got plenty more where that came from," Harry chuckled.

"We were afraid of that," came the voice of Leo Dalton calling from his office. "Harry? Nikki? I need you," he called again.

"Our lord and master summons us," Harry muttered. Nikki snorted into her coffee. Waiting for her to stand up, Harry stepped aside and let Nikki walk in front of him as they crossed over to Leo's office.

"I had a call earlier," Leo began as Harry closed the door behind him. "There was a murder last night," he continued.

"Is our help required?" Harry enquired.

"The body is on route here," Leo confirmed.

"Do we know anything?" said Nikki with concern in her voice. Leo glanced down at the notes he'd made.

"Victim is a woman, name unknown, looks to be about forty. Signs of a struggle, no fingerprints." Harry sighed. "I'm already tied up in another case," Leo spoke slowly; it was clear he hadn't fully planned it out in his mind. "Could you and Nikki take this one?" Harry and Nikki nodded.

Harry bent over the body as Nikki assisted him with the autopsy.

"Early indications would appear to show-" Harry paused as he shone a light in the wide, staring eyes. "Sorry, early indications show that cause of death was strangulation."

"What about the incision in the jugular?" Nikki asked, pointing at where the woman's throat had been slit. Harry looked at it.

"I'd say the incision occurred after death." He showed Nikki his reasoning.

"So this woman was attacked, strangled and to add insult to injury, their attacker slits the throat and pushes the body away," Nikki said, speaking her thoughts aloud with disgust.

"Looks that way," Harry said sadly. He looked up from his work as the doors flew open. A silver haired woman in a grey suit marched stoically towards them. She wore dark glasses with the lenses tinted.

"Detective Inspector Anne Griffon," the woman announced herself, holding out a gloved hand to shake Harry's. She ignored Nikki as though she were merely a student not worth bothering about. Harry shook the hand indifferently, disguising his annoyance. "Cause of death?" She asked sharply.

"Strangulation," Nikki offered but Griffon turned her back on her and focussed on Harry.

"Well?" Harry glanced at Nikki apologetically. Nikki rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"Strangulation," Harry confirmed Nikki's statement. Griffon tittered. "Sorry is something funny?" Harry asked in a tone of irritation.

"No," Griffon said unflinchingly.

"Do we have an identity yet?" asked Harry with a nod from Nikki.

"The victim is Sergeant Sally Jacobs, aged forty, lived alone."

"Sergeant?"

"Police," Griffon confirmed.

"So you must have known her?" Nikki said softly.

"Yes, I knew her," Griffon said, looking at Harry as though the question had come from him.

"Does she have any family?"

"There's a brother, Eric, he lives in Watford," Griffon told them.

Leo locked up the building behind him as he stepped out into the cold night air. There were no stars out; the sky was covered by ominous black clouds. As he walked towards his car, a silhouette streaked past him. It ignored him. Leo shrugged but his brow furrowed. He was stood by his car now. Leo pulled open the front door and placed the folder he was carrying carefully on the passenger seat. As Leo ducked his head to climb inside, he heard a scream from across the car park. A piercing wail that was suddenly silenced. Leo stood up again, closing the car door quietly.

"Hello?" Leo called out. There was no reply. "Who's there?" Leo shouted again but his cries were met with a telling silence. He began to walk quickly in the direction of the scream he'd heard. "Hello?" Leo called but only silence replied. His pace quickened. "Can you hear me?"

Nikki glared furiously at Harry.

"Can you believe that woman?" She said, taking a gulp of white wine whilst Harry just grinned at her. "I don't normally get wound up but you saw her!" Harry smiled. Nikki felt self-conscious. "Have I spilt something on me?"

"No," Harry laughed.

"What?"

"It's just you. That woman was a right bitch." It was Nikki's turn to giggle now.

"I know I shouldn't say this, but you know those people you just want to slap?"

"What like me?" Harry said with a cheeky wink. Nikki snorted on her wine, causing it to shoot up her nostrils.

"Oh that is not an attractive look Nikki," Nikki said as Harry burst out laughing again. "Anyway I just meant that Griffon's got one of those faces...you know?"

"Yep," Harry said, taking a sip of his drink.

"There's something about her," Nikki said after a long pause. "I don't like her," she finished.

"Me neither," Harry agreed.

"She didn't seem to give a damn about Sally," Nikki continued, taking another swig of wine. "You'd think she'd show a bit more concern for a colleague?"

"Maybe they didn't get on?" Suggested Harry.

"Maybe," Nikki said slowly, lost in thought.

"I think we should keep an eye on her," Harry decided. Nikki agreed. "Do you want another drink?" Harry offered, noticing Nikki's empty glass.

"No thank you." Nikki declined with a giggle. "I think I've had too much already." She got up and swayed unsteadily on her feet. Harry grabbed her before she fell with a snort of laughter.

"You're amazing," Harry said.

"I'm drunk," Nikki corrected him. They were staring into each other's eyes, neither blinking. Their lips were only inches apart.

"I really hate your hair," Harry teased softly.

"I hate your shirt," Nikki retorted.

"I hate yours too." They were so close now, their lips practically touching. Nikki could feel Harry's breathing; Harry could see the desire in Nikki's eyes. They closed their eyes and in that moment their mouths touched together. Harry and Nikki kissed, a long desired and passionate kiss. Harry's phone buzzed on the table.

TO BE CONTINUED


End file.
